Feeding mechanism for candy-coating machines



Jul 21, 1925.

E. M. CHASE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CANDY COATING MACHINES Filed July 13, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 hi 5N7 150% Ciwe July 21, 1925.

E. M. CHASE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CANDY COATING MACHINES Filed July 13, 1923 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fi/rf/VM 4 @r 09056 M v Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EABLE MERRITT CHASE, or SPRINGFIELD, MASsACHUSETTs, ASSIGNOR T0 UNI- VERSAL CANDY AND CHOCOLATE MACHINERY ooMrANYJNo, or SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CANDY-confirms MACHINES.

Application filed. July 13, 1923.

To all iii/m, it may concern.

Be it known that I, EARLE M. Cr1AsE,'a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of ltlassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Feeding Mechanism for Candy Coating Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanism for automatically feeding chocolate centers and other similar articles to a chocolate or candy coating machine.

It is the object of my invention to improve the construction of such feeding mechanism, to the end that it may more efi'ectively accomplish the objects for which it is provided.

One important feature of my invention relates to the provision of an improved construction by which the entire feeding hopper is given a straight line transverse movement. A second feature of my invention relates to the provision of improved devices by which the length of stroke and the locus of movement of the hopper may be conveniently adjusted.

Further features of my invention relate to certain arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved feeding mechanism;

F ig. 2 is an end view, partly in section, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in F ig. 1; and

F ig. 3 is a detail end elevation looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 1.

'teferring to the drawings, I have shown my improved feeding mechanism mounted upon a base or support 10 which in operation is fixed in position at a convenient distance from a chocolate or candy coating machine of any suitable type. A conveyor belt 11 is provided for transporting the chocolate centers or other articles from the feeding mechanism to the coating machine. The belt 11 is driven by a pulley or drum 12 mounted on a shaft 13 rotatable in end bearings 14. The bearings 14 are slidable in guideways 15 and may be adjusted longitudinally therein by adjusting screws 16. In

Serial No. 651,274. i

this manner the drum 12 may be moved from the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 1 toward the full line position therein to properly tension the conveyor belt 11.

A worm wheel 18 on one end of the shaft 13 meshes with an elongated worm 19 which is driven through spur gears 20 and- 21 from a shaft 22 suitably connected to the driving mechanism of the coating machine. Provision is thus made for driving the drum 12 through positive gearconnections in every operative position thereof.

A feeding hopper 25 is movably mounted 011 a frame 27 which is pivoted at 28 to the upper portion of the base 10. The outer or rear portion of the frame is provided with lugs or depending projections 28 having pin and slot connections with the upper ends of supporting posts 29 which may be ad justably secured in the base 10 by binding screws 30.

The hopper 25 is secured to a pair of cross rods 31 which are slidable transversely of the machine in anti-friction bearings 32 mounted on the frame 27. The hopper 25 is regularly reciprocated transversely by suitable driving connections from the shaft 22. These connections comprise change gears 33 and 34 slidable but non-rotatable on the shaft 22 and adapted to mesh with gears 35 and 36 on a counter shaft 37 supported in hearings on the base 10.

A disc 38 (Fig. 3) is fastened to the outer face of the gear 36 and is provided with a crank pin 39 which is connected by a link or rod 40 to a stud 41 carried by the hopper 25. The disc 38 is provided with a number of holes 42 which are located at different distances from the axis and which are each adapted to receive the crank pin 89, thus providing a different throw for the rod 40 and a different range of movement for the hopper 25.

The rod 40 has a universal connection to the stud 41 at its upper end and at its lower end is threaded to receive a nut 43 provided with an externally threaded portion which is preferably slightly tapered and which is received in a connecting rod head 44. The internal and external threads of the nut 48 are preferably of the same pitch, so that the nut will move downward on the rod 40 a distance exactly equal to its movement into the member 44.

' cranlcpin 89' andithe: stud 415' When it is desired to change the locus of movement of the hopper 25, the nut 43 is turned outward until it is free from the head 4L4, after which it is adjustedwon the rod a distance corresponding to the desired change of locus. The head at and nut-143 are.

then brought into contact and the nut is screwed into the head until it-is firmly seatsv ed therein, moving downward a corresponding distance on the rodiO and producing no further change in distance between the grooved stud L5 (Fcli'g:,1 )'.is threaded into the; outer: end. of the: shaft 22 and, the groovc thereol 'receives the cnd of' a hooked rod l-dfixedin thex gear 3%. vBy screwing tlIOJSi'lWt4:5-il130l' Qu t; the change gears may be! moved into desired engagement to provide'=a givenrspeed ratio. v

Havin thus: described my inventi-on,z, it will the seenithat I have-provided s a 1 feeding mechanism *in which therhopper. may he'ad i j usted at any desired'angle correspondingrto thenature'of theizworh andiinzwhich it will be give-111a straight line. reciprocating; m0veinenttof any. de'sired extentand in a desired location: tofeed the w-ork. to the conveyor belt 11. Furthermore the speed relation between thexreciprocations of the hopper and the movementi of the belt may be changed by adjustment of the grooved stud Having. thus described; my. llIV'QIllL'lOHf and the=adv-antages thereof, In do notiwlsh to be linnted ito the f details herein disclosed s other wise than asset forth in the claims,- but" 1. Ina: feeding:niech'anisnr ton acoating machine,; a hopper, 'ieans: to adjust; the feeding angle of said ho.p per,' and: means to reciprocate said hopper with: a straight line movement: transversely to the direction of feed. r

2:. In: a feeding 1 lneohanisnr for. a coating machine, a hopper,', a pair of supporting rods on whichsaid:hopper is mounted, bearings Jt'or saidrod's, ,an d means to -reciproeate saidrodsand hopper transversely to the line of teedl:

3. In a feeding; mechanism for avcoating ing angle of said hopper, and means to reciprocate said hopper, with a straight line movement transversely to the direction of feed, said reciprocating means being adjustable to vary the extent" of reciprocating movement, I c

LIn a feeding mechanism for a coating 11'12LGl1iIIG,' a hopper, means to adjust the feeding angle of said hopper, and means to reciprocate said, hopper with a straight line movement transversely to the direction of feed, said, reciprocating con necting'rod, a crank disc having holes at different distances from its axis, and a crank pin-effective; to drive saidconnecting rod wheninserted inany one ofsaid holes.

5. In a feeding mechanism for a coating machine, a hopper, means to.-; adjust. the feedingangle o'fsaid hopper, and means to reciprocate said hopper with a straight line movement transversely to the; direction at fecch. said reciprocating means-including a connecting-rod, a-connectingrod head, and a1 nutlthreaded [on said irodiandin said head.

7 and; having; internal and a external thrca ds o't' means comprising a;

connecting rod, means to reciprocatcsaid connecting rod' with a selected length of stroke, and means to vary the length of sait connecting rod, i y

'L. In: a; feeding, mechanism, "for a coating machine, a hopper, a movable frameon which said hopper is mounted for transverse reciprocation, a fixed frame on" which saidi novable tran'ie pivoted near its front end, and vertically adjustable sapportson said fixed, frame for. the rear end of, said movable frame. I I

.lin stestimony. whereof I, have: hereunto aflinedmy signature.

EARLE MERRITT .GI-IASE. 

